Whatever he is eating, that's what I want. Eckhart Tolle is doing an on line web class with Oprah on his new book, A New Earth. I have learned a great deal from him and what I have learned has made a big difference in my life, spiritually.
Now, I just found out that the guy is sixty years old. He looks like a kid, maybe forty at most. No wrinkles whatsoever, bright eyes, vibrant. I don't know if he eats raw food or not, but whatever he is doing, that's what I want.
I have seen a lot of raw food, health nut types, and I've never been impressed. (Except for Jack LaLanne.) They look okay, but I'd never say, "wow, I want to be like that when I get old." But Eckhart Tolle should be the poster boy for good health. That is how I want to look at sixty, which isn't that far away.
All of this goes to prove that spirituality is more important that diet. Do you want to lose weight and get healthy? Start meditating. And read Tolle's books!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Are Humans Really Omnivores?
I am researching the chapter on what kind of foods we are designed to eat for my book Reasonably, Rationally, Realistically Raw, and I see that carnivore is the name that we have given animals that mostly eat other animals. Plant eating animals we call herbivore. Omnivores eat plants and animals. Simple enough, right?
Well, I wanted to find out why animals ate what they ate. So I started exploring the anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry of the different groups. Carnivores are characterized by having claws, sharp teeth, short smooth colons and digestive tracts, rasping tongues, no lateral jaw movement, and an acidic saliva and urine. They also eat large meals, swallowing their food whole. They have no digestive enzymes. And they control their body temperature by hyperventilating.
Herbivores have flattened nails or hooves, broad blunted incisors and flat molars, long sacculated colons, smooth tongues, side to side jaw movement, non-acidic saliva and urine. They eat smaller meals more frequently, chewing and crushing their food. Digestive enzymes are important to their nutrition. And they perspire.
When it came to omnivores, I found that anatomically and physiologically, omnivores were almost identical to carnivores. Think grizzly bear.
As I researched herbivores I found that primates were not really herbivores, but frugivores (animals that eat mainly fruit). That made sense because primates do not have the same kind of digestive system that cows and other herbivores have. (Fruit is easier to digest than grass or seeds.) Our closest living relatives in the animal world, sharing more that 98 percent of our DNA, live on diets consisting of approximately 80 percent fruit. (Bonobo chimps.)
I have lived my whole life thinking I was an omnivore. Michael Pollan made a lot of money writing The Omnivore's Dilemma. So why all the confusion? Simple. We have confused the verbs "to do" with "to be." Just because we can eat other animals doesn't mean that we should. I may say stupid things, that doesn't mean that I am a stupid person.
Yes, people can eat animals, we can also eat cardboard, that doesn't mean that it's healthy.
Well, I wanted to find out why animals ate what they ate. So I started exploring the anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry of the different groups. Carnivores are characterized by having claws, sharp teeth, short smooth colons and digestive tracts, rasping tongues, no lateral jaw movement, and an acidic saliva and urine. They also eat large meals, swallowing their food whole. They have no digestive enzymes. And they control their body temperature by hyperventilating.
Herbivores have flattened nails or hooves, broad blunted incisors and flat molars, long sacculated colons, smooth tongues, side to side jaw movement, non-acidic saliva and urine. They eat smaller meals more frequently, chewing and crushing their food. Digestive enzymes are important to their nutrition. And they perspire.
When it came to omnivores, I found that anatomically and physiologically, omnivores were almost identical to carnivores. Think grizzly bear.
As I researched herbivores I found that primates were not really herbivores, but frugivores (animals that eat mainly fruit). That made sense because primates do not have the same kind of digestive system that cows and other herbivores have. (Fruit is easier to digest than grass or seeds.) Our closest living relatives in the animal world, sharing more that 98 percent of our DNA, live on diets consisting of approximately 80 percent fruit. (Bonobo chimps.)
I have lived my whole life thinking I was an omnivore. Michael Pollan made a lot of money writing The Omnivore's Dilemma. So why all the confusion? Simple. We have confused the verbs "to do" with "to be." Just because we can eat other animals doesn't mean that we should. I may say stupid things, that doesn't mean that I am a stupid person.
Yes, people can eat animals, we can also eat cardboard, that doesn't mean that it's healthy.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Raw In Nicaragua
In the past I have had real hard time eating raw, or mostly raw, or mostly vegan. Leaving for this trip I was determined to do better...and I have.
I brought with me a small travel blender, a coffee grinder, goji berries, cacao, nuts, seeds, and whole wheat spaghetti. This has made all the difference. I've had no problem eating fruits for breakfast and now that I have a refrigerator (I rented an apartment with a kitchen) I am keeping lots of lettuce and making large salads every day.
One big lesson I learned today: bananas are plentiful and healthy, but not a lot of fun to eat every day. Today I used them to make my green smoothie. Tasted great with a little pineapple and romaine. That leaves me a lot of other fruit to eat later on when I get hungry again. Then I'll have goji berries and cacao for lunch and some brocholi.
I confess that I have been eating meat at one meal a day. I just haven't figured out how to replace dinner. I dont' have other options like I do at home. If anyone has suggestions please send them. I know, I could just not eat any more and be satisfied with fruit and veggies. I will try. Maybe fasting would help. Or popcorn.
I brought with me a small travel blender, a coffee grinder, goji berries, cacao, nuts, seeds, and whole wheat spaghetti. This has made all the difference. I've had no problem eating fruits for breakfast and now that I have a refrigerator (I rented an apartment with a kitchen) I am keeping lots of lettuce and making large salads every day.
One big lesson I learned today: bananas are plentiful and healthy, but not a lot of fun to eat every day. Today I used them to make my green smoothie. Tasted great with a little pineapple and romaine. That leaves me a lot of other fruit to eat later on when I get hungry again. Then I'll have goji berries and cacao for lunch and some brocholi.
I confess that I have been eating meat at one meal a day. I just haven't figured out how to replace dinner. I dont' have other options like I do at home. If anyone has suggestions please send them. I know, I could just not eat any more and be satisfied with fruit and veggies. I will try. Maybe fasting would help. Or popcorn.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Inspiration
I limped to the finish line of 2007. The Holidays were a struggle, especially having to eat out frequently. But that is over, I've learned some lessons there and now I'm ready to begin the new year. While I often did not eat as I know I should have I am building on what I learned this past year and moving forward.
And one of the lessons learned in 2007 was that success comes from being motivated. Most of my motivation last year came from the many books I read. Yesterday it came from watching a video. I highly recommend Get Healthy Now! available on Vegsource.com. Over 13 hours of inspiration on this video. I would buy it if only for the talk by my favorite doctor Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
Dr. Fuhrman gives practical information on how to actually go about eating healthy meals. His four food groups are Salads, Soups, Smoothies, and Sorbets. He gives directions for making great salad dressings, all kinds of healthy soups, green smoothies, and sorbets that may make me forget about ice cream. The best thing is that he provides outlines for the basics for all of these meals. I got totally inspired because most importantly he gave me hope, now I could see what I actually could make to eat and how to do it.
In 2007 I learned what not to eat and to eat as much raw food as possible. My resolution for 2008 is to learn what I can eat and how to prepare healthy delicious meals. This video from Vegsource is the beginning. After that...I think I'll take some "uncooking" classes.
For me the key is to get inspired, at least long enough until my food choices become habit and the old ways are totally gone. This is a start.
And one of the lessons learned in 2007 was that success comes from being motivated. Most of my motivation last year came from the many books I read. Yesterday it came from watching a video. I highly recommend Get Healthy Now! available on Vegsource.com. Over 13 hours of inspiration on this video. I would buy it if only for the talk by my favorite doctor Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
Dr. Fuhrman gives practical information on how to actually go about eating healthy meals. His four food groups are Salads, Soups, Smoothies, and Sorbets. He gives directions for making great salad dressings, all kinds of healthy soups, green smoothies, and sorbets that may make me forget about ice cream. The best thing is that he provides outlines for the basics for all of these meals. I got totally inspired because most importantly he gave me hope, now I could see what I actually could make to eat and how to do it.
In 2007 I learned what not to eat and to eat as much raw food as possible. My resolution for 2008 is to learn what I can eat and how to prepare healthy delicious meals. This video from Vegsource is the beginning. After that...I think I'll take some "uncooking" classes.
For me the key is to get inspired, at least long enough until my food choices become habit and the old ways are totally gone. This is a start.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
I read this recently on the Going Raw Yahoo Group. It is one of the clearest descriptions of what to eat and how to improve one's health. I love its simplicity, directness, and intuitive honesty. It rings full of truthfulness.
One person's approach to health:
No drugs, simply plants 50% raw, 50% cooked either steamed, blanched
or stir fried in very little oil. Zero processed foods, no cheating,
no odd ball super foods / fad foods. A little DHEA, B-12 & D all
from vegan sources, a little sun, a little walking, nothing extreme.
Been several years now, heard all the stars of the raw movement and
arrived at my own theory, which is that it is way more important what
you do not eat, than what you do eat. Theory on what to eat is the
widest possible variety of plants, as Fuhrman points out plants
contain important phytonutrients and barely 5% have been identified,
so don't get stuck eating mostly the same dozen plants, try to eat
ALL of them.
I find the longer I do it, the more I cut back on transitional stuff
like nuts, avocados, etc., I still eat them, just not a lot of them.
After several years, the authors and things I suggest most are:
ravediet.com
drfuhrman.com
drmcdougal.com
heartattackproof.com
One person's approach to health:
No drugs, simply plants 50% raw, 50% cooked either steamed, blanched
or stir fried in very little oil. Zero processed foods, no cheating,
no odd ball super foods / fad foods. A little DHEA, B-12 & D all
from vegan sources, a little sun, a little walking, nothing extreme.
Been several years now, heard all the stars of the raw movement and
arrived at my own theory, which is that it is way more important what
you do not eat, than what you do eat. Theory on what to eat is the
widest possible variety of plants, as Fuhrman points out plants
contain important phytonutrients and barely 5% have been identified,
so don't get stuck eating mostly the same dozen plants, try to eat
ALL of them.
I find the longer I do it, the more I cut back on transitional stuff
like nuts, avocados, etc., I still eat them, just not a lot of them.
After several years, the authors and things I suggest most are:
ravediet.com
drfuhrman.com
drmcdougal.com
heartattackproof.com
chinastudy.com
I happen to be more scientifically than emotionally oriented and
personally believe that there is a lot of really bad science in the
raw business. I trust the info at the above places. When people
tell me about theories from the 30's where all current study is in
some obscure place in a foreign language, my eyes glaze over.
As I have said before, I find no need to justify eating this way. My
heath was very bad and I was about to go over the cliff, I started
eating this way and everything got better quickly and the problems
went away. People ask me what the specific mechanisms are that are
responsible as though there is some sort of "active ingredient". I
reply that the specific scientific mechanism is that I stopped
eating crap, dead and decaying stuff and started eating 100% plants,
there ya go, the whole scientific explanation.
I think a highly overlooked factor is eating LARGE quantities of raw
plant fiber (thanks to Vitamix it's easy). Someone (MD) told me you
should eliminate something that looks like it came from an elephant
and it should take you about 10 seconds to so. This goes to the
various thoughts on colon stuff, which is basically that eating tons
of raw plant fiber is like eating a couple pounds of ground up scotch
brite pads, that ought to keep you pretty well scrubbed out without
doing anything else.
Seems to me that there is no point studying it in more detail, as
further study just seems to reinforce what we already know... the
leaner you are the longer you live, the lower your cholesterol the
fewer diseases you get. Refer to China Study, eat what the people
that are the healthiest, longest lived people eat. Want facts, buy
Fuhrman's "Eat To Live" and study the extensive footnotes (that guy
is a real scientist).
There is plenty of study on what to do, people don't need to study it
more, they just need to do it and be strict about it. Sure folks can
go off on their tangents as long as they are under the umbrella
of "eat plants" and everything should be fine.
Happy Holidays
Mark
I happen to be more scientifically than emotionally oriented and
personally believe that there is a lot of really bad science in the
raw business. I trust the info at the above places. When people
tell me about theories from the 30's where all current study is in
some obscure place in a foreign language, my eyes glaze over.
As I have said before, I find no need to justify eating this way. My
heath was very bad and I was about to go over the cliff, I started
eating this way and everything got better quickly and the problems
went away. People ask me what the specific mechanisms are that are
responsible as though there is some sort of "active ingredient". I
reply that the specific scientific mechanism is that I stopped
eating crap, dead and decaying stuff and started eating 100% plants,
there ya go, the whole scientific explanation.
I think a highly overlooked factor is eating LARGE quantities of raw
plant fiber (thanks to Vitamix it's easy). Someone (MD) told me you
should eliminate something that looks like it came from an elephant
and it should take you about 10 seconds to so. This goes to the
various thoughts on colon stuff, which is basically that eating tons
of raw plant fiber is like eating a couple pounds of ground up scotch
brite pads, that ought to keep you pretty well scrubbed out without
doing anything else.
Seems to me that there is no point studying it in more detail, as
further study just seems to reinforce what we already know... the
leaner you are the longer you live, the lower your cholesterol the
fewer diseases you get. Refer to China Study, eat what the people
that are the healthiest, longest lived people eat. Want facts, buy
Fuhrman's "Eat To Live" and study the extensive footnotes (that guy
is a real scientist).
There is plenty of study on what to do, people don't need to study it
more, they just need to do it and be strict about it. Sure folks can
go off on their tangents as long as they are under the umbrella
of "eat plants" and everything should be fine.
Happy Holidays
Mark
Saturday, December 22, 2007
It Ain't Easy
Yikes! I thought it was hard being as raw as possible here in Westerly. Living away from home was ten times as hard! Five weeks in Nicaragua followed by the Christmas Holidays. It could have been worse, but...
In Nicaragua, living in a hostel room, without hot water, I did my best. I kept a supply of pineapples, watermelon, bananas, and oranges in my window. Breakfast was no problem. What came after was. There were no green leafy vegetables to be had. I could get a mixed salad of cabbage, carrots, onions, and peppers, and often had that for lunch, but that was not filling.
I was able to get a fresh young coconut most days, either in the market in Leon, or from one of the young girls selling them on the beach. That was filling. But, after that, my choices for dinner were not good. I succumbed to eating animals.
On the plane home from Nicaragua all I could think about was having a big salad with green leaf lettuce and Gina's raw creamy balsamic dressing with flaxseed powder on top.
Being home has not helped. For one reason or another I've had to eat out almost every night and I have had problems there. Even when I ordered a Veggie Focaccia Sandwich at 84 High Street Cafe, they sent it with chicken.
So, my blood pressure is up, my weight is up, and so is my determination to figure out a way to make this work!
Tonight, I am going out to dinner with my kids. I promise you, I am going have so much salad before I leave this house that I will not be able to eat anything bad. Okay, I am allowing myself a little sushi, that's raw, isn't it?
What a freaking struggle this is. It's a struggle, but it isn't that bad. It's just that you always have to pay attention, bad habits just so easily work their way back into your life. I feel like I'm in a tug of war for what goes into my mouth. The minute I look the other way, poof, some dead animal ends up working its way through my digestive system. And neither of us are happy about that. There has to be a better way, and I am determined to find it. Meanwhile, I'm drinking my green smoothies and munching my huge green salads. I'm on the path, I just have to get farther along.
In Nicaragua, living in a hostel room, without hot water, I did my best. I kept a supply of pineapples, watermelon, bananas, and oranges in my window. Breakfast was no problem. What came after was. There were no green leafy vegetables to be had. I could get a mixed salad of cabbage, carrots, onions, and peppers, and often had that for lunch, but that was not filling.
I was able to get a fresh young coconut most days, either in the market in Leon, or from one of the young girls selling them on the beach. That was filling. But, after that, my choices for dinner were not good. I succumbed to eating animals.
On the plane home from Nicaragua all I could think about was having a big salad with green leaf lettuce and Gina's raw creamy balsamic dressing with flaxseed powder on top.
Being home has not helped. For one reason or another I've had to eat out almost every night and I have had problems there. Even when I ordered a Veggie Focaccia Sandwich at 84 High Street Cafe, they sent it with chicken.
So, my blood pressure is up, my weight is up, and so is my determination to figure out a way to make this work!
Tonight, I am going out to dinner with my kids. I promise you, I am going have so much salad before I leave this house that I will not be able to eat anything bad. Okay, I am allowing myself a little sushi, that's raw, isn't it?
What a freaking struggle this is. It's a struggle, but it isn't that bad. It's just that you always have to pay attention, bad habits just so easily work their way back into your life. I feel like I'm in a tug of war for what goes into my mouth. The minute I look the other way, poof, some dead animal ends up working its way through my digestive system. And neither of us are happy about that. There has to be a better way, and I am determined to find it. Meanwhile, I'm drinking my green smoothies and munching my huge green salads. I'm on the path, I just have to get farther along.
Monday, November 5, 2007
It's Such A Struggle, Or Am I Just Not Trying
The purpose of this blog is to share, truthfully, the difficulties of changing my diet and becoming more of a raw foods person. So here is where I tell about how I seem to be going backwards.
I don't feel as if I'm eating worse, but the fact that I've gained back 4 of the 13 pounds I had lost says something. And Saturday night I went out to dinner with Cathy and ate half of one of those "blooming opinions." Then had a chicken sandwich and fries.
I am definitely struggling. I can do breakfast and lunch raw with no problem. It's dinner and after. (And going out to eat.) If I am going to do this I have to come up with alternative meals. Eating cooked foods and other things after super is taking away from all the good I am doing before dinner. The challenge is simple: I have to put the effort into learning how to make actual meals and making them for dinner. Until then I will not get to the next level of raw foods and healthy living. I will get to this, it's just a matte of time. There is no turning back.
Tomorrow I begin my winter traveling, I start with five weeks in Nicaragua. There is no way I can make raw meals there. This is going to prove a real challenge. I'll try to live mostly on fruits, veggies, salads, nuts, and seeds. It'll be dinner that will be the real challenge. I'll keep you posted.
I don't feel as if I'm eating worse, but the fact that I've gained back 4 of the 13 pounds I had lost says something. And Saturday night I went out to dinner with Cathy and ate half of one of those "blooming opinions." Then had a chicken sandwich and fries.
I am definitely struggling. I can do breakfast and lunch raw with no problem. It's dinner and after. (And going out to eat.) If I am going to do this I have to come up with alternative meals. Eating cooked foods and other things after super is taking away from all the good I am doing before dinner. The challenge is simple: I have to put the effort into learning how to make actual meals and making them for dinner. Until then I will not get to the next level of raw foods and healthy living. I will get to this, it's just a matte of time. There is no turning back.
Tomorrow I begin my winter traveling, I start with five weeks in Nicaragua. There is no way I can make raw meals there. This is going to prove a real challenge. I'll try to live mostly on fruits, veggies, salads, nuts, and seeds. It'll be dinner that will be the real challenge. I'll keep you posted.
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